The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers.



Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France.



The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged childhood. 



This could mean that the large brain of modern humans resulted from an extended childhood along with cultural transmission across generations instead of vice versa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-childhood-big-brains">Long childhood, big brains</h2>



A team of researchers - including specialists from Switzerland's <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Zurich</a>, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and Georgia's National Museum - have challenged the theory that modern humans' extended childhood is directly linked to their large brains.



The team analyzed dental development in an early Homo that was almost an adult. The results suggest that though these early humans reached adulthood at a similar age as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buronius-manfredschmidi-tiny-great-ape-species-lived-11-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">great apes</a>, their tooth development followed a longer timeline similar to modern humans.



This proposes the distinct possibility of a longer dependency on adults and an elongated childhood for these early humans.



Remarkably, the brain size of these early Homo specimens was only marginally larger than that of a chimpanzee. This made the researchers question the link between the prolonged development and cultural transmission across generations.



An extended childhood within a three-generation context might have allowed the immature members of the group to effectively assimilate growing amounts of knowledge. 



Eventually, this led to the development of larger brains and longer life spans, traits characteristic of modern humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dental-development-in-early-homo">Dental development in early Homo</h2>



An enduring assumption has been that humans' extended growth period is a consequence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-sizes-are-growing-possibly-lowering-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased brain volume</a> since a larger organ requires more energy resources to grow. But analysis of the fossil's dental growth has caused researchers to question this hypothesis.



The research team used synchrotron imaging to study the dental development of a near-adult fossil of early Homo from the Dmanisi site in Georgia, dated to around 1.77 million years ago. 



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="CWxiqQg039-4024544-12187" type="single"]</div>



“Childhood and cognition do not fossilize, so we have to rely on indirect information. Teeth are ideal because they fossilize well and produce daily rings, in the same way that trees produce annual rings, which record their development,” noted study first author Christoph Zollikofer from the University of Zurich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-findings-and-a-new-perspective">Unexpected findings and a new perspective</h2>



“Dental development is strongly correlated with the development of the rest of the body, including brain development," explained study co-author Paul Tafforeau, scientist at the ESRF.



"Access to the details of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=fossil%20hominid&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a> hominid's dental growth therefore provides a great deal of information about its general growth."



After almost two decades of research beginning in 2005, the initial results startled researchers. 



“We expected to find either dental development typical of early hominids, close to that of the great apes, or dental development close to that of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-genes-still-influence-modern-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern humans</a>," said Tafforeau.



"When we obtained the first results, we couldn’t believe what we saw, because it was something different that implied faster molar crown growth than in any other fossil hominin or living great ape."



In the following years, the team conducted five series of experiments and completed four full analyses, employing various methods as dental synchrotron imaging technology advanced.



As the consistent results suggested significant implications for the "big brain - long childhood" hypothesis, the scientists needed to think creatively to interpret this fossil's findings.



“It's been a slow maturation, both technically and intellectually, to finally arrive at the hypothesis we are publishing today,” said Tafforeau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-longer-childhood-evolution-s-early-experiment">Longer childhood: Evolution's early experiment?</h2>



The dental development of the studied fossil suggested that milk teeth were used longer than in great apes, implying that early Homo children were dependent on adult care for a longer duration.



This could be the first experiment evolution took towards a prolonged childhood. Despite having brains only slightly larger than australopithecines or great apes, early Homo are believed to have lived longer.



The survival of a very old individual with no teeth for several years indicates that the group sufficiently cared for him. This alludes to a three-generation structure, a key aspect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-started-cumulative-culture-around-600000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultural transmission in humans</a>.



The new hypothesis begins with children's growth slowing down as cultural transmission increased. 



The accumulation of information from older to younger individuals had an advantageous effect on resource utilization and the development of complex behaviors, thus favoring a longer childhood. 



Once this mechanism was established, natural selection acted on cultural transmission, not just biological traits. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-brains-and-delayed-adulthood">Big brains and delayed adulthood</h2>



As the volume of transferrable information grew, evolution supported a larger brain and delayed adulthood, enabling a longer learning period in childhood and time to grow a bigger brain despite limited food resources.



The large brain of modern humans could be attributed to an extended childhood and a three-generation structure encouraging bio-cultural evolution. These mechanisms may have led to increased brain size, delayed adulthood, and longer lifespan. 



The study of this exceptional fossil could motivate researchers to rethink the evolutionary mechanisms that led to Homo sapiens.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08205-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image &amp; Video Credit: ESRF/Paul Tafforeau, Vincent Beyrand



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How did humans get big brains? Fossil teeth reveal new clues

The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers. Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France. The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged...

A recent study published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cercor/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cercor/bhac227/6601447?login=true#.Yp4UHmksX8o.twitter">Cerebral Cortex</a> refutes earlier studies showing that performing tasks while walking decreased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-with-more-children-risk-faster-cognitive-decline/">cognitive</a> function. The new research shows that some young, healthy individuals performed better on cognitive tasks while walking.



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/del-monte-neuroscience.aspx">Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester</a> focused their experiment on 26 healthy participants between 18 and 30 years old.



The participants were asked to perform cognitive tasks while being monitored by a Mobile Brain/Body Imaging system (MoBI). They were instructed to click a button when images on a screen changed, and if the same image appeared consecutively, they were asked not to click the button.&nbsp;



First, they were asked to perform the task while sitting; this part of the experiment established the baseline. Then, participants were asked to complete the task while walking. The results surprised researchers.



The experts found that 14 of the participants demonstrated improved performance while walking. The MoBI also detected increased activity in the front of these individuals’ brains. The other 12 participants did not improve, and the authors noticed no change in their frontal brain function.&nbsp;



“There was no predictor of who would fall into which category before we tested them, we initially thought that everyone would respond similarly," study first author Eleni Patelaki, a biomedical engineering PhD student.



“It was surprising that for some of the subjects it was easier for them to do dual-tasking – do more than one task – compared to single-tasking – doing each task separately. This was interesting and unexpected because most studies in the field show that the more tasks that we have to do concurrently the lower our performance gets.”



The researchers believe these results suggest increased brain flexibility and efficiency in those individuals who improved. The experts are very excited about what additional knowledge the health and science community can gain from this study.



“These findings have the potential to be expanded and translated to populations where we know that flexibility of neural resources gets compromised," said Patelaki.



“This gives us a place to start looking in the brains of older adults, especially healthy ones," said Dr. Edward Freedman, who led the study.&nbsp;



Furthermore, the findings will assist in studying "super agers," older adults who experience a minimal decline in cognitive function as they age. The researchers hope to discover the marker for super-aging, which could aid in our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cercor">Cerebral Cortex</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

For some, walking boosts cognitive function

A recent study published in Cerebral Cortex refutes earlier studies...

Sunrise,View,On,Bernese,Range,Above,Bachalpsee,Lake.,Peaks,Eiger,

A new study led by <a href="https://www.eurac.edu/en">Eurac Research</a> in Italy has found that the number of snow cover days in the Alps could halve by the end of this century, if greenhouse gas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/agricultural-emissions-negatively-impact-our-health/">emissions</a> are not urgently curbed. This could have a major impact on water availability, local ecosystems, and ski resorts. 



According to the experts, without emission cuts, snow loss would be particularly severe in the southern Alps (Italy, Slovenia, and parts of France), with the southwest Alps being particularly badly hit. However, with rapid climate mitigation efforts, up to 83 percent of current snow days could be saved.



&nbsp;“I expected reductions in snow cover, but our findings in this paper under a strong warming scenario of 4 to 5°C are very alarming. On the other hand, there is a large margin of potential savings, if warming is limited within the Paris Agreement – which certainly raises some hope,” said study lead author Michael Matiu, a senior researcher at Eurac.



The loss of snow cover could have a significant impact on areas downstream which rely on the yearly spring and summer snow melt for water. “Snow loss will lead to a temporal shift in water availability, with higher water flows in winter and less in summer. This is particularly challenging in areas which already fight for water usage,” explained Matiu. “In any case, the Alps or the countries sharing the Alps will need to find a way to manage water availability across regions and sectors, to have enough water for agriculture, energy production, domestic use, and tourism, at the right time and in the right location.”



According to Matiu and his colleagues, the number of snow days lost will vary with altitude. For instance, mountains at 2500 meters would lose 76 days worth of snow if emissions are high, while at 500 meters, only 14 days of snow cover would be lost. However, cutting emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and constraining global warming to 1.5-2°C above pre-industrial levels would save up to two months of snow cover per year at higher altitudes.



Since white snow reflects heat and cools the Earth, if this cover is lost for prolonged periods of time, exposed darker rocks and vegetation would absorb heat and further exacerbate warming. Higher temperatures in the mountains would threaten the Alps’ iconic biodiversity and fundamentally change Alpine ecosystems. Thus, as Matiu puts it, staying within the Paris Agreement targets is “most vital.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/26/3037/2022/">Hydrology and Earth Sciences</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Snow cover in the Alps could soon be cut in half

A new study led by Eurac Research in Italy has...

Beautiful,Girl,With,Electronic,=,Device,In,The,Park

A new study led by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/">University of South Australia</a>&nbsp;(UniSA) has found that children’s well-being and health are heightened when they participate in extra-curricular activities, such as playing sports and music or meeting friends. On the other hand, children's well-being is reduced when they spend their free time on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-causes-depression-in-adults-too/">social media</a> or playing video games.



The researchers analyzed data from 61,759 school students aged four to nine, assessing the average number of days per week that they participated in after-school activities, and measuring these against factors related to well-being, such as happiness, engagement, optimism, emotional regulation, perseverance, or life satisfaction.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that most students watched TV about four days of the school week and spent time on social media approximately three days. According to the researchers, such activities have a negative impact on children’s health and well-being.



“Screens are a massive distraction for children of all ages. Most parents will attest to this. And whether children are gaming, watching TV or on social media, there’s something about all screens that’s damaging to their well-being,” said study lead author Rosa Virgara, an expert in Health and Human Performance at UniSA.



According to Dr. Virgara, it is not lack of physical movement that is causing the damage, since other sedentary activities such as reading or doing homework contribute positively to well-being. Instead, screen time appears to be the main culprit behind children’s mental health problems. The study results show that children who used social media or played video games were up to nine percent less likely to be happy, up to eight percent less likely to be optimist, and 11 percent more likely to give up on things.



Although children who were at higher risk of developing mental health issues came from lower socio-economic backgrounds, the scientists found that, if they frequently played sports, they were 15 percent more likely to be optimistic, 14 percent more likely to be happy and satisfied with their lives, and 10 percent more likely to manage to regulate their emotions.



“All in all, the message is clear – gaming, watching TV, playing on computers, and scrolling through social media are not helping build or sustain positive wellbeing in children,” said Dr. Virgara.



&nbsp;“It’s certainly a challenge, especially as most children have been brought up on devices. But if families can be more aware of the issues associated with screens, then perhaps we can find a better balance of screen time and other out-of-school activities.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-022-03322-1">BMC Pediatrics</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Screen time damages children’s health, reduces well-being

A new study led by the&nbsp;University of South Australia&nbsp;(UniSA) has...

They say that no man is an island, but to the tiny mites that inhabit our skin, we are the island of their dreams. These microscopic mites (Demodex folliculorum) live in the pores and hair follicles on the face, including the eyelashes, and the nipples of almost every human being. They are only around 0.3mm long and are passed on to us at birth. From then on, they live in our pores, feed on the sebum that is naturally produced in the cells of the pores, and reproduce on our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-craft-living-human-skin-on-a-robotic-finger/">skin</a> in the darkness of night.&nbsp;



A new study, led by researchers from the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a> has found that life for the mites living on a person’s face is not all roses, however. Their isolated existence results in inbreeding during the lifetime of the host person, which leads to the loss of genes and cells in the parasites. In the study, D. folliculorum&nbsp;genomes were studied for the first time ever, and the results showed that the mites are becoming so simple, genetically and anatomically, that they can be considered in transition from external parasites to internal symbionts.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“We found these mites have a different arrangement of body part genes to other similar species due to them adapting to a sheltered life inside pores. These changes to their DNA have resulted in some unusual body features and behaviors," explained Dr. Alejandra Perotti, who co-led the research.



The study of the D. folliculorum DNA, published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mbe">Molecular Biology and Evolution</a>, makes the following fascinating (and bizarre) findings&nbsp;concerning the mites:



<ul><li>Due to their isolated existence on a single person’s face and nipples, with no exposure to external threats, no competition to infest hosts and no encounters with other mites with different genes, the mites have experienced genetic reduction. This has caused them to become extremely simple organisms, with tiny legs, each powered by just three single-cell muscles. They survive with the minimum repertoire of proteins – the lowest number ever seen in this and related species.</li><li>This gene reduction is the reason for their nocturnal behavior too. The mites lack UV protection and have lost the gene that causes animals wake up when it is daytime. They have also been left unable to produce melatonin – a compound that makes small invertebrates active at night. However, they are able to fuel their all-night mating sessions using the melatonin secreted by human skin at dusk.</li><li>Their unique gene arrangement also results in the mites’ unusual mating habits. Their reproductive organs have moved anteriorly, and males have a penis that protrudes upwards from the front of their body meaning they have to position themselves underneath the female when mating, and copulate as they both cling onto the human hair.</li><li>One of their genes has been inverted, giving them a particular arrangement of mouth-appendages that stick out and enable them to feed. This aids their survival when they are young.</li><li>The mites have many more cells when they are young than they do as adults. This contradicts the previous assumption that parasitic animals reduce their cell numbers early in development. The researchers argue this is the first step towards the mites becoming symbiotic inhabitants within the cells of the skin.</li><li>The lack of exposure to potential mates that could add variety to their gene pool means that the mites may well be on course for an evolutionary dead end, and potential extinction. This has been observed in bacteria that live inside cells before, but never in an animal.</li><li>Some researchers had assumed the mites do not have an anus and therefore must accumulate all their feces through their lifetimes before releasing it when they die, causing skin inflammation. The new study, however, confirmed they do have anuses and so have been unfairly blamed for many skin conditions.</li></ul>



Research collaborators from the University of Valencia, University of Vienna and National University of San Juan also contributed to the study.



Dr Henk Braig, co-lead author from Bangor University and the National University of San Juan, said: “Mites have been blamed for a lot of things. The long association with humans might suggest that they also could have simple but important beneficial roles, for example, in keeping the pores in our face unplugged.”



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Parasitic mites that live on our faces have simplified genetically

They say that no man is an island, but to...

Healthy,Food,In,Heart,Diet,Cooking,Concept,With,Fresh,Fruits

In a new study led by <a href="https://gumc.georgetown.edu/">Georgetown University Medical Center</a>, researchers have drawn a connection between gut health and cardiovascular health. The study looked specifically at heart failure, the end-stage heart disease that impacts over six million people annually. Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of death in the United States.



For the investigation, the researchers analyzed the results of 511 past studies. They focused on a harmful metabolite known as trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). This metabolite is produced in the presence of red meat, full-fat dairy products, and egg yolks.&nbsp;



The experts found that those who experience heart failure tend to have an increased presence of gut metabolites, which are associated with increased hospitalization and increased mortality.&nbsp;



Bacterium viruses, fungi, and protozoa make up an intricate and delicate gut microbiome. The researchers also found that heart failure patients often have a less biodiverse gut.



However, due to a deficiency of data, scientists could not identify the interaction between the microbiome and the cardiovascular system. They noted that good nutrition is associated with a healthy cardiovascular system and that researchers should explore this question further.



The experts hope this study will encourage others to learn more about how the gut and vascular systems affect each other.&nbsp;



“To diagnose and manage heart failure we rely on certain findings and test results, but we do not know how poor heart function influences the activities of the gut, including the absorption of food and medications," said study co-author Kelley Anderson.



"There is now an appreciation of a back-and-forth relationship between the heart and elements in the gut, as clearly the heart and vascular system do not work in isolation -- the health of one system can directly influence the other, but clear connections are still being worked out scientifically.”



“We are currently developing a forward-looking study to evaluate the microbiome in patients with heart failure. We are particularly interested in the symptomatic experience of patients with end-stage heart failure as well as disease-related weight loss and wasting during this stage of cardiovascular disease.”



The study is published in the journal<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10741-022-10254-6"> Heart Failure Reviews</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Heart failure is influenced by gut health

In a new study led by Georgetown University Medical Center,...

New research shows that harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-release-a-variety-of-biological-particles-into-the-air/">particles</a> in polluted air could be transported from the lungs, quickly to the brain through the bloodstream. The study suggests that this, in turn, may cause neurological disorders and brain damage.&nbsp;



An international team of scientists from Britain and China found an assortment of extremely fine particles in some patient's cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting a pathway for airborne particles from lungs to the brain.



Air pollution contains many toxic ingredients but particulate matter is some of the worst, especially in concern to human health. The ultrafine particles especially are able to sometimes pass through the body’s defenses, causing health problems. However, there is much that scientists still have yet to learn.&nbsp;



“There are gaps in our knowledge around the harmful effects of airborne fine particles on the central nervous system," said study co-author Professor Iseult Lynch from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a>. "This work sheds new light on the link between inhaling particles and how they subsequently move around the body.”



The research indicates that these fine particles may travel through the lungs, into the bloodstream and even make their way across the blood-brain barrier. This could cause damage to the brain and the nearby soft tissues.&nbsp;



“The data suggests that up to eight times the number of fine particles may reach the brain by traveling, via the bloodstream, from the lungs than pass directly via the nose - adding new evidence on the relationship between air pollution and detrimental effects of such particles on the brain," explained Professor Lynch.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The damage to the brain by these fine particles could cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s and cognitive problems in both older people as well as children. The results seem to make a clear case for the mental health benefits of cleaner air.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">PNAS</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution may cause brain disorders

New research shows that harmful particles in polluted air could...

Elephants,In,Chiang,Mai.,Elephant,Nature,Park,,Thailand

As natural environments become increasingly fragmented, the potential for human-wildlife interaction is increasing. Now, a team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a> has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/leaving-trees-standing-could-reduce-climate-consequences/">climate change</a> is also likely to significantly contribute to this problem. By using a risk framework that incorporated different possible scenarios, the experts have examined how the risk of human-elephant conflict could change over time in Thailand.



When humans encroach on natural landscapes, the chances of interacting with wildlife increase. Conflicts can arise when wild animals harm crops or livestock, or when human activities damage animal habitats. For instance, forest edges are highly attractive areas for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephants-give-birth-and-then-keep-it-moving/">elephants</a> searching for food, which can often bring them into contact with farmers and mature crops.



“In Thailand, half of the country’s population live in rural areas and rely on agriculture,” said study lead author Nuntikorn Kitratporn, a PhD student at the University of Tokyo. “Thailand also has about three to four thousand wild elephants and deforestation and the growth of commercial agriculture have pushed elephants into increasingly fragmented patches of habitat, increasing the chance of interactions between humans and elephants.”



According to Kitraporn and his colleagues, climate change is increasing the chance of human-elephant encounters, as shifting environmental conditions lead to changes in the behavior and distribution of elephants. By using a risk assessment framework, combined with data on the recent spatial distribution of human-elephant conflict (2000-2019) in Thailand, the scientists investigated how these conflicts may develop in the near future (2024-2044), under different scenarios of future climate and socioeconomic conditions.



“We found a spatial shift in risk toward northern areas and higher latitudes,” said Kitratporn. “In other areas, habitat is likely to become less suitable over time, which could first increase and gradually decrease the risk of interactions.” Moreover, the risk of human-elephant conflicts was predicted to increase from increased frequency of droughts.



Better understanding how human-wildlife interactions may change in the future is crucial for long-term planning. “Our results highlight geographically explicit strategies to support long-term planning of conservation resources. Areas with increasing future risk are currently facing low conflict; hence it is recommended that future strategies should enhance adaptive capacity and coexistence awareness. Conversely, areas with lowering future risk from a decrease in habitat quality are recommended to identify buffer strategies around protected areas to support existing large elephant populations,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155174">Science of the Total Environment</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Human-elephant conflicts may increase with climate change

As natural environments become increasingly fragmented, the potential for human-wildlife...

Until recently, federal agencies have largely focused on controlling industrial and transportation emissions, failing to address the damages to health and climate that agricultural pollution gives rise to. A research team led by <a href="https://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a> has now quantified emissions of nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and nitrous oxide from fertilized soils over three years (2011, 2012, and 2017), and compared their impact by region on air quality, health, and climate.



Although seasonal and regional impacts differ across types of emissions, the scientists found that total yearly damages from ammonia were much larger overall ($72 billion) than those from nitrogen oxides ($12 billion) and nitrous oxide ($13 billion). Moreover, the health impact of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severity-of-covid-symptoms-linked-to-air-pollution/">air pollution</a> from ammonia and nitrogen oxides – which react to form particulate matter and ozone – substantially outweighed the climate impact from nitrous oxide in all years and regions. Finally, the analysis revealed that the highest social costs arose from agriculture-heavy areas of California, Florida, and the Midwest, where ammonia and nitrogen oxides form highly dangerous air pollution upwind of large urban regions.



According to the researchers, studying the effects of all agricultural pollutants on health and climate is essential in future assessments of farming practices. “Our group had been studying nitrogen oxide emissions for a number of years and began to realize that we can’t just focus on that,” explained study senior author Daniel Cohan, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University. “We needed to consider the range of emissions that come from soils, and we became curious about the relative impacts of different air pollutants and greenhouse gases the emanate from agricultural soils.”



“A big part of our motivation was realizing that choices in farming practices might cause some emissions to go up and other emissions to go down,” he added. For instance, switching from surface broadcast to deep injection of fertilizers lowers ammonia levels but raises nitrogen oxide emissions. While reducing ammonia could benefit nearby cities sensitive to particulate matter levels, increases in nitrogen would harm regions where ozone is of more concern.



“What’s crucial is to take steps that have more of the nitrogen go to the crops, and less of it be released to the air and water,” such as adding biochar or other amendments to agricultural soil. “Before we can do that, we needed to establish a baseline of emissions coming from the soil. This paper lays that out,” Professor Cohan concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.1c08660">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Agricultural emissions negatively impact our health

Until recently, federal agencies have largely focused on controlling industrial...

Monocular,Telescope,At,Sunset,Over,Marburg,,Germany

From the beginning of June, 2022, stargazers could enjoy a rare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-planetary-alignment-will-be-visible-during-june/">planetary alignment</a>, with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn lined up in order of their distance from the Sun across the pre-dawn sky – an astronomical event that has not occurred since December 2004. Until now, however, Mercury has been very faint and close to the horizon, making it difficult to see with the naked eye.&nbsp;



Fortunately, this will change soon, as Mercury will climb higher and appear brighter than before, offering early risers the best chance of seeing one of the most spectacular planetary parades. In addition, on Friday, June 24, a crescent moon will also be visible between Venus and Mars.



“This is an exciting opportunity for early risers to see all five naked-eye planets at once - most of the time they are split between the early morning and evening sky,” said Beth Biller, an expert in exoplanet characterization at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>. “We now know of many other stars hosting multiple planets. This is a rare opportunity to see the same thing closer to home, with all five naked-eye planets in our solar system visible at once.”



According to Dr. Samantha Rolfe, the principal technical officer at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.herts.ac.uk/">University of Hertfordshire</a>’s observatory, amateur astronomers do not necessarily need to use binoculars or a telescope to enjoy the extraordinary spectacle offered by this planetary alignment. “Check the weather forecast for clear or even partially clear skies, and set an alarm - it will be worth getting up for,” she advised. In addition, she suggested using the open source astronomy app <a href="http://stellarium.org/">Stellarium</a> to help find Mercury in the dawn sky.



Over the next months, the planets will appear to spread out farther each morning before Venus and Saturn will finally exit the stage in September. “Planetary conjunctions traditionally have been more the stuff of astrology than serious astronomy, but they never fail to impress during observations, particularly when the gas giants are involved,” concluded Mitzi Adams, a NASA astronomer.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Five planets are visible in a rare alignment this week

From the beginning of June, 2022, stargazers could enjoy a...

Throughout the middle of the 20th century, phosphorus <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skin-hair-products-air-pollution/">pollution</a> from fertilizers and detergents degraded the water quality of Lake Geneva in the Switzerland, causing officials to take action to curb pollution in the 1970s. However, although reversing phosphorus loading significantly helped, it did not return the lake to its former state.



According to a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California, San Diego</a>, in order to forecast and manage Lake Geneva’s complex ecological response to the threat of phosphorous pollution – currently compounded by the impact of climate change – a new hybrid empirical dynamic modelling (EDM) approach is needed.&nbsp;



“Nature is much more interconnected and interdependent than scientists would often like to think,” said study lead author George Sugihara, a biological oceanographer at UC San Diego. “You pull one lever and everything else changes, whack-a-mole style.”&nbsp;



“Single-factor experiments, the hallmark of 20th century science where everything is held constant, can teach you a lot in principle, but it is not how the world works. If this were not the case, if nature behaved more like the single-factor experiments and was less connected and interdependent, we’d be able to predict outcomes with simple models where relationships don’t change.”



In order to address the shortcomings of previous predictive models, Professor Sugihara and his colleagues used EDM, a form of supervised machine learning that was first employed in the 1990s in financial forecasting. Traditional modelling methods that rely heavily on constants, like the force of gravity, or the shape and depth of a lake, are useful to predict physical processes and model them with simple equations. However, to properly map the fluctuating ecology and biochemistry of Lake Geneva, more dynamic approaches, such as EDM, are necessary.



“Lake Geneva is one of the most well-studied systems in the world. It’s not a coincidence that it was an opportunity to push the envelope with a machine-learning approach to ecological forecasting,” said study co-author Ethan Deyle, an expert in Quantitative Ecology at <a href="https://www.bu.edu/homepage-alt/">Boston University</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



By using their hybrid approach, the researchers found that the impact on water quality of raising air temperature by three degrees Celsius would be on the same order as the phosphorus pollution of the previous century. Thus, current management practices can no longer involve a single control lever, such as only reducing phosphorus inputs. More complex, multi-layered approaches are needed to protect these fragile ecosystems from a variety of environmental stressors, such as pollution and climate change.



In future research, the scientists aim to apply these methods to map the ecology and biochemistry of other complex ecosystems, in order to have a better understanding of their functioning in a rapidly changing world, and find ways of safeguarding the most vulnerable ones.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2102466119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Predicting how lakes will respond to pollution

Throughout the middle of the 20th century, phosphorus pollution from...

Vitamin,C.

Americans spent almost 50 billion dollars on vitamins and dietary supplements in 2021. However, a new study published in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/">JAMA</a> shows that most have that money may be for naught.&nbsp;After reviewing 84 studies, the researchers concluded that taking multivitamins does not reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-increases-the-risk-of-autoimmune-disease/">disease</a> for most Americans.



“Patients ask all the time, ‘What supplements should I be taking?’ They’re wasting money and focus thinking there has to be a magic set of pills that will keep them healthy when we should all be following the evidence-based practices of eating healthy and exercising," explained study lead author Dr. Jeffrey Linder of the <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> Feinberg School of Medicine.



The researchers specifically warn against beta carotene supplements, as they can increase the risk of lung cancer. Instead, Linder says that doctors should stress other ways to help their patients lead a healthy lifestyle.&nbsp;



“The harm is that talking with patients about supplements during the very limited time we get to see them, we’re missing out on counseling about how to really reduce cardiovascular risks, like through exercise or smoking cessation.”



The authors believe eating lots of fruits and vegetables is the best way to combat cardiovascular disease. Eating whole foods provides the body with vitamins, phytochemicals, fiber, and other nutrients that work together for a healthy body.



However, vitamins are necessary for some segments of society. “Pregnant individuals should keep in mind that these guidelines don’t apply to them," said study co-author Dr. Natalie Cameron. "Certain vitamins, such as folic acid, are essential for pregnant women to support healthy fetal development.”



Dr. Jenny Jia noted that the reality of living a healthy lifestyle can be challenging, especially for lower-income individuals. “Healthy food is expensive, and people don’t always have the means to find environments to exercise - maybe it’s unsafe outdoors or they can’t afford a facility. So, what can we do to try to make it easier and help support healthier decisions?”



She believes the answer may lie in encouraging food pantries to encourage their patrons to pick healthier choices and donors to provide more nutritious food choices.&nbsp;



So, for those who aim to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer, perhaps it’s better to pick up a bag of apples than buy a bottle of multivitamins.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Supplements do not reduce disease risk for most Americans

Americans spent almost 50 billion dollars on vitamins and dietary...

Sunlit,Foggy,Forest,With,Black,Locust,Tree,On,Clearing

Clearing lands for agriculture can have negative implications for climate change. The removal of trees reduces the amount of carbon stored as biomass in the trees, as well as decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis. This means that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increase when forests are cleared to make way for pastures. This is particularly severe when the forests are burned as part of the change in land use.&nbsp;



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.unh.edu/">University of New Hampshire</a> have now conducted a study to test whether leaving some trees behind when temperate forests are cleared in the northeastern United States can reduce some of the negative climate consequences. In the practice of silvopasture, trees are intentionally left behind in pastures where livestock graze. In addition, the stumps of trees that have been removed may also be left standing, increasing the amount of carbon remaining in the fields.&nbsp;



“We talked to a lot of farmers in the Northeast who are interested in the silvopasture approach but there aren’t a lot of data to help guide them through implementation, and responsible and strategic management,” said Alexandra Contosta, research assistant professor at UNH’s Earth Systems Research Center. “We wanted to see if silvopastures made a difference and found that there are benefits to this approach that could help both the farmer and the planet.”



The researchers set up experimental land plots in two locations, in New Hampshire and New York. In both locations, forests have regenerated following a period of forest clearing, intensive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/agricultural-management">agricultural management</a>, and subsequent farm abandonment, such that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/secondary-forests">secondary forests</a>&nbsp;currently comprise 60–80 percent of the land base. In both experiments, they hypothesized that, compared to managed cool-season pasture, forest conversion to silvopasture would moderate changes in surface temperature,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/greenhouse-soils">soil greenhouse</a>&nbsp;gas emissions, as well as in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/soil-carbon">soil carbon</a>&nbsp;and nutrient losses.



At both locations, land was divided into three plots (also called treatments); one plot was covered with secondary forest, one plot was cleared of forest and open pasture was planted, and in the third plot, silvopasture was established. In this last experimental treatment, trees were thinned by 50 to 60 percent and tree stumps were left in place. Orchard grass, white clover and other forage species were planted, after which either dairy or beef cows were introduced.&nbsp;



The researchers set up meteorological stations in each of the experimental areas, and monitored emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. They also measured soil temperature and moisture, as well as the carbon and nitrogen contents of the soil.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The results, published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/agriculture-ecosystems-and-environment">Agriculture, Ecosystems &amp; Environment</a>, revealed that near-surface air and soil temperatures were highest in the converted pasture plots, lowest in secondary forest areas, and intermediate in the converted silvopasture treatment.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/soil-respiration">Soil carbon dioxide levels showed a similar trend, with elevated soil </a>CO2 in open pastures and lower levels in secondary forests and converted silvopasture treatments. They did not find any differences in carbon storage in the soil between different land use treatments.&nbsp;



Compared to a completely cleared, tree-less, open pasture, the integrated silvopasture treatment released lower levels of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, thus offering a possible alternative for farmers who are concerned about the climate consequences of land use change.&nbsp;



According to the researchers their findings suggest that silvopasture may offer a biogeochemical “middle ground” between intact secondary forests and managed open fields, retaining the climate benefits of forests while enabling expansion of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/arable-land">agricultural land</a>&nbsp;base.



They feel it is important to understand the climate impacts of forest conversion to open pasture or silvopasture in order to anticipate the climate consequences of potential future land use practices, both across the northeastern US and in other temperate forest regions globally.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“New England has a lot of trees which can reduce our options for agriculture and our ability to produce our own food,” said Contosta. “So, what is exciting about this study is that it shows silvopasture could be a viable alternative that is also more climate conscious.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Leaving trees standing could reduce climate consequences

Clearing lands for agriculture can have negative implications for climate...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...